Throughout Stockholm fashion week, blogger Columbine Smille will report back on the best and brightest shows. To view our complete coverage click here.
Day 1
Stockholm fashion week began yesterday, and who more suitable to kick off the festivities than B. Akerlund (above, left), the stylist for Rihanna, Madonna, and Lady Gaga? Appointed by Mercedes-Benz as the official master of the shows’ opening ceremonies, she turned up dressed in a custom-made leather dress by BLK DNM, a label that, unfortunately for us Swedes, is not on the Stockholm schedule. However, its Swedish designer, Johan Lindeberg, sat in a few front rows, along with stylist Robert Rydberg and actresses Alicia Vikander and Noomi Rapace. An impressive group of international buyers (Net-a-Porter.com, Liberty, and MyWardrobe.com, to name a few) was also spotted at the shows—a testament to Stockholm’s growing fashion influence.
The Local Firm was the first label to send its Fall ’13 down the catwalk. The collection was urban and wearable, featuring tough-girl separates and an abundance of fringe and leather. Next up was Hunkydory (above), a brand that many have called the Isabel Marant of Sweden. Fall ‘13 was all about cropped leather pants, military influences, velvet, and bohemia. Frida Gustavsson set the tone when she opened the show wearing a peacoat with cropped burgundy suede pants, and a black-fringed dress (as well as some gold-embellished tops, dresses, and skirts) continued the French-boho vibe.
Ann-Sofie Back is known for making big statements and conceptual collections. And the Fall ‘13 collection for her diffusion line, BACK (left), was no exception. The show started with a chorus of what sounded like chanting soccer fans—which made sense, considering Back’s Fall offering had a decidedly sporty feel. We saw pins, nets, and sequins combined with workwear and what looked like the knit team scarves fans wear to soccer games. The designer herself wore a T-shirt printed with the logos of H&M and Cheap Monday (where she is also the head of design), a witty nod toward the idea that she’s been “bought.” Indeed, Back has become more commercial these past seasons, with BACK selling at H&M-owned high-street chain Weekday, but the designer has stayed true to her signature style, which is to say, she never plays it safe.
For the first season, Carin Wester (left) skipped her menswear collection to focus on her womenswear range, and the result was her strongest offering in years. Wester’s Fall ’13 featured loose, voluminous silhouettes, cropped leather trousers, oversize knits, and sharp-shouldered coats. To ensure her looks (many of which were topped with cozy fur hats) weren’t too “soft,” Wester put patterns called “Wolf prints” on dresses, blouses, and bomber jackets. In fact, they looked more like raccoon tails, but they added a playful, kitschy edge to her sophisticated fall range.
—Columbine Smille
Photos:Fredrik Etoall; Runway Images: Mathias Nordgren for Fashion Networks
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